Party
by amoredward
Summary: Ever wonder what was going through the minds of each of the Cullens during Bella's disastrous 18th birthday party? Read and review! Carlisle is up!
1. Rosalie

**Hey there! Thanks for giving this a try! So, I was sitting up one night unable to sleep (I'm sort of an insomniac) and was racking my brain trying to come up with a story possibility for Twilight. Then my train of though wandered as it always does, and I started wondering what it would be like to be able to hear people's thoughts like Edawrd, or feel their emotions, like Jasper. So I was like: Hmm...that could be a story. Write something from the perspective of all the Cullens! Then I had to choose an event, and the more interesting one that had all of them in it for me was Bella's fatal birthday party. And BAM! There was my story. So, I hope that you enjoy this, and please review to tell me if it was horrible or if I should continue with it. Thanks!**

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Rosalie POV

I don't know why I agreed to come here. Of course I missed my family—missed the simple peacefulness that seemed to enfold our house—but that was not the point. I just had to wait until Edward got over that little human girlfriend of his and then I would gladly return. She had no business knowing all my family's secrets, anyway. Did she not learn her lesson with James last spring? Obviously not, for she had stuck around, breaking my family apart in the process.

Why Edward insisted she stay a _human_, I could only take as a display of his lack of affection for her. If he truly loved her—loved her the way that I loved Emmett—then he would want her to stay with him forever. Not let her rot away and die like any other human.

I couldn't help but frown as Bella walked in the door, Edward close behind her, but then the wrinkles in my forehead smoothed. It was so good to see Edward again—I _had_ missed him in our months apart, missed his black sense of humor that I could relate to better than Emmett's carefree, always joyful jokes—and I couldn't stay angry. He had been so happy since Bella came into his life. It frustrated me why I couldn't figure out his thoughts on her mortality.

Bella blushed profusely, and I felt a small burning in my throat as the venom came up. It was certainly uncomfortable to say the least, but I had experienced worse.

She glanced around the room at everyone, then at me. Her face looked pained, but I took no notice, and she quickly looked away to Emmett. He seemed happy enough to see her.

"You haven't changed at all," he said sarcastically, a wide grin appearing on his face. "I expected a perceptible difference, but here you are, red-faced just like always."

She blushed even deeper, and the venom in my throat built up more. I swallowed it down as best I could, but it didn't cure the feeling completely.

Emmett then stepped out—going to Bella's truck to install the radio he and Jasper had bought. They had signed my name on its empty container that sat wrapped on the table despite my protests. Alice proceeded to hand Bella our gift box. Bella slightly shook it, obviously suspicious of its too light weight. She then tore off the paper and stared confusedly at the confusing jumble of words and numbers on the lid for a moment. I let out a laugh internally. She finally opened the box, and discovered that it truly was empty.

"Um…thanks," she confusedly muttered. I had to smile, thinking how Emmett was hurrying to install the stereo fast enough that he might see her face when she realized that she had been tricked. He was no doubt proud that the master scheme he and Alice had planned had worked out as flawlessly as he could have ever hoped for.

Jasper laughed, and explained. "It's a stereo for your truck. Emmett's installing it right now so that you can't return it." She thanked us, and then yelled out to Emmett, who was taking longer than he should have been….I wondered idly if he was having trouble because of the radio or the truck he was installing it in. Emmett just laughed, though, and I couldn't help but keep smiling. It was so good to be able to have my family together at last, even if the cause of the celebration was for someone who I wished would leave us alone. Alice was just handing Bella her and Edward's present when Emmett came racing through the front door.

"Just in time!" he exclaimed, pulling me forward to get a closer look. Edward and Alice's present for her was a mystery to the rest of the family, and we were all interested to discover what was encased in the shiny silver wrapping. She pulled under an edge of the paper with her finger, and that's when it happened.

The smell of her blood, fresh from her body, made my throat burn wildly out of control. Still, I had been refraining from human blood for long enough that I was able to control my reactions.

Jasper couldn't, though.

Edward crashed into Bella, knocking over and shattering the crystal plates on the floor just under Bella's outstretched arms. The intoxicating scent of her blood filled the room and made me unable to think clearly for a moment. Then I heard a crashing, and before any of us but Edward could react, Jasper was on top of him.

Emmett reached forward and caught Jasper's arms in a steel grip, but he still couldn't pull him away.

"Emmett, Rose, get Jasper outside," Carlisle ordered.

I had absolutely no desire to save Bella in any way, but nonetheless, I stepped in front of Jasper. I was especially careful to keep my perfect face and golden locks away from his snarling teeth—I would _never_, no matter who told me to, save this girl by sacrificing my looks. Jasper continued to struggle against Emmett's iron hold, though, and I had to push him away from Edward.

Now did this girl see what she was doing? Now did she realize that she and Edward weren't meant to be together—the predator and the prey? She was terrified, that much was evident on her face. Hopefully, this was enough to drive her away for good. She was causing my family so much trouble—more than she was worth. And tonight, she had almost payed for it with her life.

Almost.

Esme was holding the door open for us, a hand covering her mouth and nose to try to deter the smell. I knew she was still struggling, though, and she apologized to Bella as she followed Emmett and me out the door.

Jasper was still struggling, though less now. He finally broke free of our grip and raced into the forest.

I merely shrugged and turned to a darkened window, fixing my hair.

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**So please review and tell me what you think! Like it? Hate it? Just click that little 'Go' button to make me happy!**


	2. Jasper Time!

**Thanks to all of you who care enough about this story to read the second chapter!!! Here it is: Jasper. He was hard to get started on, but then surprisingly easy. He just let me right on in to his thoughts, and I had fun writing this!!! By the way, I'm seriously not crazy. Stephenie Meyer said that she let her characters speak through her, and so I tried it. Fabulous! I hope that this captures the Jasper from Twilight-you have to let me know is you think that I have a wrong perspective! I can't read minds like Edward, so I have no idea what you're thinking if you don't tell me! hint REVIEW hint**

**Thanks to those who did last time. I loved reading them! Even though there were only three. tear now I'm going for five! Woo!!! So I'll let you read. Enjoy...Jasper time!!!**

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Jasper POV! 

The feeling of anticipation permeated the air, touching my extra 'senses'. Edward and Bella had just arrived in Bella's beat up Chevy truck, and everyone was anxious, ready to have our family reunited once again. It seemed to take forever from the closing of the car doors until the awaited couple walked through the front door, but finally they came in.

A thousand different emotions bombarded me, and I tried to take them all in.

From Esme and Carlisle, I could feel pure joy. They reveled in Edward's happiness, glad that he had finally found somebody he loved after a century of loneliness.

Alice was completely ecstatic, practically bouncing off the walls with glee. She and Bella had become the best of friends since everyone's return from the incident in Phoenix last spring. I was appreciative that Bella had given Alice another friend, because I knew how much happier it made her.

Waves of jealousy emanated off of Rosalie, and my brow furrowed. How could she be like that the one time we were all together again. It shouldn't matter that Bella was here. Whatever the problem she had with Bella was, she should at least put it aside during her birthday party. How shallow could one person—or vampire—get?

There was one emotion that overwhelmed everything, though. And it hit me like a brick wall as soon as Edward and Bella walked through the front door.

Love. Pure, unbridled, eternal devotion to each other. I was so glad to see Edward actually smile with meaning, I couldn't help one of my own spread across my lips. I sensed embarrassment coming from Bella, but it seemed so insignificant compared to their passion.

Then Edward wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head. I couldn't imagine doing that with any human—not that I felt particularly compelled to. I could only imagine the control necessary for such a small show of his feelings.

After Bella said a small hello to everyone, Alice bounced forward to greet her, releasing my hand from hers. I wished that I could go up to Bella and thank her for everything that she had unknowingly done for my family, but I didn't want to risk it.

Especially not with her blushing a deep red and the venom in my throat rising—calling me to be the monster I truly was.

I looked away and took a deep breath while Alice led Bella to the table with the stack of presents on it. Emmett had already disappeared, going to fulfill his role in Bella's gift from Rosalie, Emmett and me. At least I could display my gratification to her through a present—no matter how small it was.

Bella radiated confusion as she lightly hefted our package between her hands. I smiled again, and I found myself actually eager, as was the rest of the family, for her to open it. She finally ripped the shiny silver wrapping off, and became even more puzzled.

It was clear that she had no idea how to read the technical jargon that covered the box.

When she decided to open it, I laughed at her bewildered state.

"It's a stereo for your truck," I clarified. "Emmett's installing it right now so you can't return it."

She smiled, and thanked us—calling out a loud one to Emmett, who was taking his time out there. I reached out with my sense, and felt a small frustration coming from him.

Maybe Bella's truck was giving him a hard time.

He sprung through the door just in time, though, to see Alice handing Bella the next gift—a small silver package from her and Edward.

I felt everyone's curiosity pique, because it was still a mystery to the rest of us what the present was. I inched closer for a better view. That was definitely a mistake.

For, right as Bella slid her finger under the edge of the paper and pulled at it, the smell of her blood filled my senses.

My throat was on fire, choking me with venom, and I leapt forward without thinking.

I could feel everyone's panic, the most overwhelming from Edward. He pushed Bella away from me, and the crystal plates crashed onto the floor just below her. Blood began to spill from her arms where she had tried to catch herself.

I lost all form of control.

I crashed into Edward when he threw himself in front of Bella defensively, and I snapped past his head, trying to get _something_. Trying to sedate the searing pain in my throat. I grabbed and pushed, trying to do anything to get past the barrier that separated me from my meal.

Yes, she was my food.

She was the one whose blood was making my throat explode with a scorching fire. Her blood would be the only way to satiate that thirst that was causing me such pain.

I fought against the steel grasp that held my shoulders, and shoved against the other person who was stepping in front of me. They pulled me back despite my struggles, and the further away from the girl I got, the more I came to my senses.

It was Rosalie in front of me, and Emmett was the one restraining me from behind. I still fought, though, my mind consumed with thirst for the blood that I could still smell. I wanted so badly to drink from her. To feel the warm blood slide down my throat, silencing the fire that consumed my thoughts.

Once they hauled me outside and I was able to catch a breath of fresh air, I could think more clearly. Still, though, the smell of her in my memory wasn't fading away. I ripped free from Emmett and Rosalie's grip and raced into the forest before I could do anything that I would regret.

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**How was it? Superb? Superbly horrible? Let me know by clicking that little 'Go' button at the bottom. It makes me happy inside!**

**Disclaimer: I am obviously not Stephenie Meyer. If I were, I would be busy laying on a beach in Mexico, drinking a cool glass of --enter your choice of preferred drink here-- and having Edward and the rest of those Cullen boys adhering to my every whim!**

**Also, let me know if you would like some more from Jasper's POV, because I do have a little bit more...**


	3. Jasper time 2

The crisp, clear forest air helped me clear my thoughts. I ran without knowing where I was going, or what I was doing. My mind was occupied with other things.

What had I almost just done? I would have ruined everything I had been working towards for the past too many years. I would have had to start over, and I knew from previous experience how hard it has to do so once I had tasted human blood.

I felt even worse when I thought of how Alice would have reacted. I knew that she wouldn't show it on the surface for my benefit, but deep down inside she would be disappointed in me.

I knew that she loved me no matter what happened, but I wanted to make her proud. I wanted to be able to give her what she wanted—a stable family with the Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Rosalie and Edward.

Bella too, soon.

I would never want Alice to see a failure when she looked at me. I wished that it was so much easier to abstain from human blood, but it wasn't.

I remembered the feeling from just three minutes ago. It was like a fire had exploded in my throat the minute just a single drop of Bella's blood had touched the air. I lost control completely when I smelled the potent, crimson liquid.

How I craved it still, even when I had removed myself—actually been removed, forcibly—from the area. I imagined how it would taste, just a drop. Venom bubbled in the back of my throat, and I quickly swallowed it back, shaking my head to clear my mind of the illusion.

I had to stop thinking like that. It would just make it so much harder to stop myself the next time we went to school or anywhere where there were people around. I had to stay clean for Alice. She was worth not drinking human blood, no matter how strong my desire.

She was worth every minute of the temptation.

She was worth anything in the world.

I ripped a tree branch off the trunk and hurled it at another tree. It collided with a loud crash, and then fell to the ground. I sat down on another fallen tree limb and buried my face in my hands.

I knew also that I had disappointed Edward the most of all. He had been forced to restrain his own _brother_ for fear of his true love's life. I was pathetic, the way I couldn't seem to keep from making my family have to worry every minute of every day about me losing control.

I felt massive amounts of guilt wash through me, but there wasn't anything coming from anyone else. It was all me this time, and I hated the feeling of that.

Soon, though, after about five minutes, I heard someone running towards me. I could sense a feeling of self-guilt and frustration. It didn't take long for Edward to find me, sitting there on the rotting branch. He silently sat beside me.

"I'm sorry," I began. "I just didn't have any contr—"

"I understand completely," he cut me off. "It was my own fault." I had thought that he

was infuriated with me, but it seemed to be himself that he was finding as the one to blame.

"No," I shot back. I couldn't let him feel so guilty—for I felt the full brunt of his shame and torment now that he was sitting right next to me—for something that was _my_ fault. Nobody else's but my own.

I tried to envelope him with a sense of calm and tranquility over him, but no matter how hard I tried, it wouldn't work. He must be feeling worse than I thought, probably was masking them for my benefit.

"If I were better able to control my thirst," I continued, "there wouldn't have been any sort of problem tonight. You didn't see Esme, or Rosalie, or Emmett, even, jump at her like a snarling animal, did you? Even you, who craves her blood more than any of us, was better able to control yourself than me."

Edward simply shook his head. "It was something that I should have been aware of the possibility of."

I simply shook my head in reply. After a few moments of complete silence, he spoke again.

"Alice knows how hard it is for you to even go to school, and she's _not_ disgusted with you. You're completely wrong on that account." He must have been reading my thoughts, for they had strayed back to my wife that was most surely ashamed of me.

She appeared as if she had known we were talking of her.

She moved to the limb I was perched on and sinuously folded herself beside me, taking my hand in her own.

We sat like that for a moment, just Alice's presence giving me no small amount of comfort.

"Edward, Jasper," Alice whispered, knowing that we could hear her. "This isn't either of your faults. It was just a horrible accident."

We were both silent for a minute, and then Edward stood up, his eyes carefully emotionless. It didn't matter, though. I could still feel his guilt and remorse as well as if it were my own.

"I have to go take Bella home," he announced. He sprinted off towards the house, disappearing into the darkness. Alice got up, and I followed her lead.

She turned to me and looked me. Her eyes pierced me through, and I knew that I couldn't hide anything from them.

"You know that I love you, and you could never do anything that would disappoint me. Just remember that." I said nothing, and she spoke again. "I have to go to the house to make sure Bella's okay, but I will come find you when she and Edward have left."

She leaned up for a quick kiss, and then disappeared after Edward.

I sat back down, not ready to face my other family members yet, and let the darkness that was so comforting enfold me.


	4. Alice!

**So yeah, I was trying to hurry and get the last chapter up, so I forgot to put an author's note. So, here is one if you even read these. I hoped that you liked reading some more from Jasper, and since I wanted to make sure to write from at least every Cullen's point of view, I had to stop and start writing someone else. And with that as a nice little transition, here is Alice!!! She was very fun to write also--all of these have been interesting in different ways. Alice is much perkier than I usually am, so it was different trying to write as someone who is so energetic. But it came out, though some parts gave me a little difficulty. I hope that you enjoy this one, too!**

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Unable to contain my excitement, I squeezed Jasper's hand. He looked down at me and smiled, obviously feeling the effects of my joy. I just grinned brighter. 

Edward was outside helping Bella get out of her car, and then I heard his laughter.

I loved the sound. I was happier than ever knowing that Edward had finally found someone who could make him happy, someone he could be with forever.

And he and Bella would be together forever—whether it was him that made it so or not, it would happen. I had seen it in multiple visions, and knew that it was only a matter of time before Bella officially joined our family.

Edward then opened the door, and Bella stepped through. We all cheered a chorus of 'Happy Birthday!' and she flushed from embarrassment.

I knew that she hadn't wanted to celebrate her birthday, but this would probably be her last chance to do so as a human—vampire birthdays were kind of a joke—and I wouldn't let her miss it. I was really doing this for her own good.

Okay, so maybe I just loved the decorating and throwing a great party, but still. She deserved to be shown some kind of appreciation for making Edward as happy as he was.

Carlisle and Esme greeted her first, followed by Emmett, who then exited through the front door to begin installation of Bella's new truck stereo. Knowing her like I did, I suspected that she would attempt to return it if at all possible.

_Not a chance_, I thought, my smile growing.

"Time to open presents," I proclaimed, pulling Bella by the arm to the table that held her cake and presents. I picked up Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper's present first. The box was empty, and I smiled at the puzzled expression on Bella's face—obviously suspicious of the feel of it.

She then ripped off the wrapping paper and stared at the lid for a moment, trying to decipher what it said. The mix of numbers and letters confused her further, and she decided to open it.

She said a hesitant thanks.

Rosalie actually smiled, and Jasper laughed, explaining what it was. She smiled then, and said a real thanks to everyone, calling louder to Emmett, who was still in her truck.

I imagined Bella's truck was giving him a hard time—I had hoped that the stereo would work for it, but one never knew what to expect when dealing with a truck that old.

Emmett laughed, and I picked up my and Edward's present next. I thought that Carlisle and Esme's would be a better one to end with.

"Open mine and Edward's next," I said, handing her the small silver-wrapped square.

I could barely contain my excitement now, the combination of Bella's fun with Edward's complete happiness along with the joy of having someone human that I could live through—to feel what it's like to be human.

She turned to glare at Edward, and reminded him of his promise to not spend any money. I laughed, and after Edward reassured her, she turned and held out her hand.

The rest of my family had drifted in for a closer look—while both Edward and I knew what the other presents were, we hadn't told anyone what we were planning to give Bella.

I handed her the package, rolling her eyes for show, and pushed her finger under the edge of the paper. She jerked it out, and when she did, a single drop of blood pooled on her finger.

I froze.

Then Jasper leapt at Bella, and Edward pushed Bella backwards into the table to block her from the attack.

Everything fell onto the floor underneath Bella—cake and now shattered plates included. Blood poured from the gash in her left arm, and the aroma of her blood thickened the air.

I stopped breathing, trying to contain the monster that roiled within me. Venom was burning my throat, and though I tried to swallow the burning liquid, it was to no avail.

Jasper crashed into Edward, and snapped just past Edward's head toward Bella, who was staring at the display with pure terror in her eyes.

Emmett tried to restrain Jasper, but couldn't contain him alone—Jasper continued to struggle to get past Edward and to Bella, his prey.

_Why had I not seen this coming?_ I thought, consumed with guilt that I hadn't been able to prevent this from happening. _I should have seen this coming._

"Emmett, Rose, get Jasper outside," Carlisle commanded. Rosalie somewhat reluctantly stepped in front of Jasper.

Even as Rosalie and Emmett were pulling against him, making their way to the back door that Esme was now holding open, Jasper struggled in a blind fury. He twisted and fought, but finally was out the door and in clear air.

As Edward reluctantly gave Carlisle room to attend to Bella, I ran and got a towel. I offered it to Carlisle, but he shook his head, saying that there was too much glass in the wound.

He tore off a strip of the tablecloth and wound it around Bella's arm, just above the elbow—a makeshift tourniquet. When Bella told him that she preferred that he treated it here, rather than the hospital, Edward picked her up and carried her to the kitchen table.

He hadn't been breathing since she had given herself the paper cut.

I ran to get Carlisle's black medical bag, needing to catch another breath of fresh air, and also grabbed a desk light.

Edward was still hovering over Bella, overly protective. And he still wasn't breathing.

Bella asked Edward to go, and he refused—I could have seen that coming without any extra senses. She insisted, and then Carlisle told him to go find Jasper.

"You might as well do something useful," I agreed, knowing that Carlisle was correct in saying that Jasper wouldn't listen to anyone but Edward right now.

_Edward, _I directed my thoughts at him. _Bella will be fine with Carlisle. There's no need to stay here when __you could be of more help elsewhere,_ I urged.

He glared at the three of us, then silently sprinted out the back door.

I watched as Carlisle carefully and efficiently pull out piece after piece of glass from Bella's arm. The pile of shards by her elbow grew, and I wondered how much more could possibly be in the wound.

_I might as well take my own advice_, I thought, thinking of Jasper and Edward. They both were no doubt wallowing in self-guilt.

I worried about what Edward would do soon. I wasn't getting any visions about what his reaction would be—but he did have a tendency to over-react to anything that put Bella in any sort of danger.

I snuck silently out the door Edward had left through, throwing a small smile Bella's way.

As soon as I was out of her sight, I sped into the night, begging a vision to come.

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**Disclaimer: I still do not own Twilight. If I did, I would be at the Cullen house, making Edward play me ballads he wrote for me on the piano, having Jasper cook me a romantic Italian dinner, having Emmett pick up the wedding ring that Edward ordered for me, and be sitting in Carlisle's lap having him feed me chocolate covered strawberries. Yes, sadly I have _way_ too much time on my hands for fantasizing about the Cullen boys. Oh well.** **_I'm _not complaining!**

**Please review!!! I love reading any that I can get! You guys rock! I love all my readers (and I especially love my reviewers!)**

**Also, sorry it took so long to get up. I have been banned from the computer lately. There have just been some...circumstances...involving that, but I'm back and good as new! Look for an update _soon_!**


	5. Alice! 2

**Hey! Didn't I tell you that an update was coming _soon_? So, here's some more Alice. The more I write with these characters, the better I know them. I just keep on writing even when I had meant to stop. That's why I might, _might_, write one more chapter in Alice's POV. She's just so fun. So, I hope that you enjoy this addition, and I hope to get some more reviews! They make me all happy inside, like I just had a nice big cup of coffee! Heh. Voila! It is a tad on the short side, but here you go! Hope you like it!**

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As I ran through the forest, I listened for signs of where Edward and Jasper were. Soon I heard noises coming from a small clearing, and I turned in that direction. 

While I ran, guilt consumed me. Why had I not been able to see that coming? I should have been able to prevent it from even happening.

I had an eerie feeling that there would be horrible repercussions for this accident. And I wasn't getting any visions.

Maybe that's a good thing, I tried to convince myself. I couldn't, though. Edward would try something drastic, I knew instinctively.

I was now close enough to Edward and Jasper that I could make out their conversation.

"Alice knows how hard it is for you to even go to school, and she's _not_ disgusted with you. You're completely wrong on that account," Edward tried to convince Jasper.

I walked into the clearing and walked over to Jasper, seating myself beside him on the fallen tree limb. I took hold of his hand and rubbed small circles on it with my thumb.

We sat in silence, and I was still anticipating a vision. It didn't come.

I had to make sure to let them know that they shouldn't be guilty. "Edward, Jasper, this isn't either of your faults. It was just a horrible accident." Neither of them responded.

Then Edward stood up. "I have to go take Bella home." He turned into the dark forest and sped towards the house.

I stood up, intending to follow immediately, but then thought of Jasper and how he must have been feeling. I turned to him.

"You know that I love you, and you could never do anything that would disappoint me. Just remember that. I have to go to the house to make sure Bella's okay, but I will come find you when she and Edward have left."

He didn't say anything, so after giving him a quick kiss on the lips, I raced to catch up with Edward.

That's when I had the vision.

I saw Bella, lost in the woods. It was raining, and dusk was just settling in. Her eyes were puffy and red, and I could tell that she was still crying.

That image disappeared, and another followed—it was of Edward. He sat in the corner of a small, bleak room, his knees pulled up, and his face covered with his hands.

That was all I saw.

I raced as fast as I possibly could to try to catch up with Edward, all the while trying to think of what could cause the visions to happen. It wasn't looking good.

I made it so his side just as we were arriving at the house.

_Edward, don't do anything that you will regret. Think carefully about what you are deciding._ I directed my thoughts at him. He stopped at looked at me.

"Have you had a vision?" he whispered.

_Yes. Do you want to see?_ I asked. He nodded.

I replayed the vision in my head, and saw a his face twist into a grimace before he pulled it into a carefully composed mask. I still knew that whatever was going on in his head was bothering him, though.

This was when I wished that _I_ could read _his_ mind. But I couldn't, so there wasn't much more I could do.

We walked through the back door, and Edward remained in the doorway while I went to Bella's side.

"C'mon, I'll get you something less macabre to wear." I pulled her upstairs after me. I went to get one of Esme's shirts that was similar to the one she came in. She changed quickly, but just as I was walking back out the door, she spoke.

"Alice?" she asked.

"Yes?" I prompted, wondering what she needed.

"How bad is it?" I automatically tensed, my thoughts going back to my vision, and answered the best I could.

"I'm not sure yet."

"How's Jasper?"

I let out a sigh as I remembered how Jasper was feeling. "He's very unhappy with himself. It's all so much more of a challenge for him, and he hates feeling weak."

"It's not his fault. You'll tell him that I'm not mad at him, not at all, won't you?" she requested. I assured her I would.

With that, we walked downstairs and as Bella moved to the front door that Edward was holding open, I grabbed her remaining presents.

"Take your things!" I ran to her and pressed the packages into her good arm. "You can thank me later when you've opened them."

With that, Carlisle and Esme said a hushed goodbye. Edward and Bella went outside, and when I heard Bella's ancient truck leave our driveway, I turned to Carlisle and Esme, giving them a pained look.

"I had a vision."

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**So...did you like it? Or is Alice totally wrong? Please tell me!!! I might try to write more of Alice if you guys want it. Or, I can move on to Emmett. tell me which one! Or, if you don't like either option, tell me who you would want to see next! I love feedback!**

**Disclaimer: If do not own Twilight! If I did, I would make the Cullens (I guess you can include Bella) adhere to my every whim. I would be in Hawaii, having Rosalie fan me with a big leaf thing, having Esme and Bella cooking me some good food on the grill, having Alice supervise all my stocks (aka making me super rich) and making the Cullen boys have a water balloon fight. (Just imagine all those Cullen boys in swimming trunks, dripping wet. Yum...) Just kidding! Really, though. If I did own Twilight I wouldn't have to create such fantasies in my head. They would be real!**

**Lastly, please review! I will love you for ever and ever! And tell me what you want to see next!**


	6. Emmett

**Hey there! So nice to see you again! First off, thanks to all who reviewed--I know that there weren't that many, but I still loved every single one!**

**So here is Emmett. I had so much fun writing this, and I loved writing about him installing Bella's stereo. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! Have fun!**

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It was growing darker outside with each passing minute, and I wondered where he—well, _they_—could be. 

I held Rosalie's hand, and wished that she were more accepting of Bella. She made Edward the happiest that I had ever seen him in all the time I had known him.

A hundred years was long enough to live alone. And I had hated seeing him like that.

I was so lucky that I had Rosalie from the start. She was worth living forever. She was worth all of it. Being a vampire wasn't so bad after all. Especially when you got to keep an angel with you.

And Rosalie was my angel.

I couldn't understand Edward's thinking. Why wasn't he changing her? It was bound to happen sometime. Bella would definitely become a member of our family. Officially.

Just as soon as Edward got around to accepting the inevitable.

The sound of Bella's ancient Ford truck rumbling down our driveway snapped me out of my reverie.

A smile lit my face when I thought back to the many times when either Alice or Edward had tried to convince Bella to get a new car. She refused, insisting that her truck had _personality_. That was something only Bella would say.

I could tell that Edward was driving by how quickly he managed to get the truck to our house. Bella was overly cautious—sometimes too much so.

I heard Edward's laughter, and soon after the door opened, revealing Edward and Bella. We all cheered a loud chorus of 'Happy Birthday!', and Bella blushed, looking down and saying a small thanks.

I felt the burn of venom rising in my throat, but tried to ignore it. This was Bella's birthday party, after all. That's the last thing that needed to happen.

She greeted Carlisle and Esme, then turned to me and Rose. A wide grin played across my lips, and I stepped forward. I greeted her with false disappointment at her obvious sameness since the last time I had seen her.

"I have to step out for a second," I said while winking at Alice right in front of Bella, making it as obvious as I could. "Don't do anything funny while I'm gone," I requested.

"I'll try."

With that, I headed out the door and quickly grabbed the radio I had hidden on the porch before making my way to Bella's truck.

When I opened the door and looked at her current radio, I knew that we were giving her our present in perfect timing. The radio tuner knob was difficult to turn, and the reception—even here, in the middle of a clearing—was horrible. I couldn't even tell what kind of music was supposed to be playing.

With little effort, I yanked out the aged stereo. That was the easy part. Now I just had to figure out how to fit this state of the art radio tuner/CD player in a slot that was designed for much less advanced versions.

After I attached all of the cords to the right holes in the back of the system, I tried to push it in the opening. There were, however, too many pieces of plastic used for God knows what sticking out of the object in my hands.

Again, I tried to shove it in there, this time using much more force than should be necessary, and immediately heard a snap. I slowly pulled it back out, hoping I hadn't ruined it.

A couple small pieces of plastic that had been in the way tumbled down to the floor of the truck. I frowned, hoping that nothing vital was now lying on the seat or floor. I doubted it, though.

How important could a couple pieces of plastic be?

Not very, because when I tried once again to insert the radio in the black hole where the other one once was, it slid in perfectly.

That was when I heard Bella call out a thanks to me, after the others had enlightened her on the mystery of the empty box. I let out a hearty laugh.

I had to make sure, though, before I went back into the house that the newly installed stereo would stay in place. I jiggled it around in its place, and smiled in satisfaction when it stayed put.

Picking up the small shards of plastic as fast as I could—knowing Bella, she would find some way to stick herself with one—I grabbed all of the trash out of the truck cab. Running at full speed, I dumped it on a dark side of the porch before racing back through the front doors.

I grinned when I realized that I had made it in just enough time to see Bella open Alice and Edward's "mystery present". They hadn't told anyone what it was, so I took Rosalie's hand and stepped closer to get a better view.

Bella somewhat reluctantly took the present from Alice after giving Edward a dark glare—well, dark for her, anyway. She stuck her finger under the edge of wrapping paper and yanked it out.

The smell of her blood hit me like a brick wall.

Venom rose in my throat, burning the back of my mouth, and I had to stop breathing. Jasper, however, pounced forward.

Edward pushed Bella back into the crystal plates, and they crashed to the floor in pieces under her outstretched arms.

Edward crouched protectively over her, trying to fight back Jasper as he snapped at Bella. I could now see that blood was gushing from a jagged cut on Bella's forearm.

I almost lost all control, but gathered myself as best I could. I knew we had to get Jasper away from here, and I grabbed his shoulders in a steel grip, though restraining myself was proving just as difficult as holding back Jasper.

Still, I was fighting my thirst when Carlisle told Rosalie to help me get Jasper outside. She stepped in between Edward and Jasper, and pushed him backward. He continued to struggle against us, but once we were through the door Esme held open, he broke free from my grasp and raced into the forest.

I walked away from the house, breathing in the fresh air in an effort to clear the memory of the smell of Bella's blood from my mind.

With no small effort, I swallowed the still rising venom in my throat and turned to Esme. She wore a grimace, and I knew that this would not be good.

Not at all.

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**Did you like? I sure hope so! Even if you didn't, just click that little 'Go' button to make my day! I still don't know if I like the ending, so tell me what you think!**

**How many times do I have to say this? I am not Stephenie Meyer, and therefore do not own any of the characters. If I did, I would make Edward take me to his meadow, and meanwhile I would be making the other Cullen boys go find me a special meadow to take me to when I was done with Edward (though that might be a while--it just gives them more time to look!). I'm just kidding--I wouldn't really do that. Or would I??? Ha ha. I'm really just kidding.**

**Review!!! Who do you want next? Carlisle? Esme? I could maybe even do Edward if enough people wanted me to... Let me know!**


	7. Esme

**Hey there everyone! I'm so sorry that this took so long to get updated. I just had a harder time than usual with writing this one. You can also blame all the awesome fanfiction out there for keeping me occupied when I gave up on writing this. But you _can_ thank My Chemical Romance, Sugarcult and the Used for helping me finish this! Such great music! So, I am finally done. I am not really 100 happy with the way it turned out, so I am asking--begging--for some constructive criticism here! That would be so great! Soo...enjoy!**

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I thought that my heart, though it no longer was beating, would explode with all the happiness I felt in it.

I was extremely eager to see Edward and Bella walk through the door. I couldn't wait to see a smile on Edward's face. He had been alone far too long, and I would have cried tears of joy if I were able at seeing him in such bliss.

I also was excited because Emmett and Rosalie had returned from "college" for the celebration. It felt so good to have the whole family—and that included Bella—together at last. I only hoped that Rosalie would be less hateful towards Bella.

I knew that Edward begrudged Rosalie for her aversion to Bella, and wished with all my might that I could resolve the tension between the two. I couldn't, though. That was something that only they could do.

And with them both being so stubborn, it didn't look as if it would be solved any time soon.

Not long after I first heard the faint rumbling of Bella's truck did I hear—much more clearly—the opening and closing of two car doors. Edward's laughter drifted to my ears, and the front doors opened.

In walked Bella, followed by Edward. I approached Bella, giving her a soft hug and kissing her forehead—again, with deliberate care. I knew that I had to watch my self control around her, and thought that if anything bad would ever happen to come her way, I only wished that it not be this night.

Even though I knew that this was a party celebrating Bella's eighteenth birthday, I still couldn't keep my eyes away from Edward. My heart was flooded with elation, and a smile almost as big as Edward's spread across my face.

It made me feel so immensely…_good_ to see him in such a state of happiness. For all the time that I had known him, he had never before been in such high spirits. I could see the change when he first met Bella, and even more so when he refused to "dispose" of her as some of the family wished he would, but now was the best time.

Now, his attitude and disposition seemed to be increasing exponentially. He always was in a good mood nowadays, and it seemed—maybe I was just imagining it—that the cynical and sarcastic remarks that always seemed to be flying out of his mouth before were lessening as of late.

That thought made me laugh silently. Bella seemed to be…taming Edward in a way. She was making him see the good in the world, and the rest of us would be forever in debt to her for that.

After everyone greeted her, Emmett left and then Alice led her over to the table that held three silver-wrapped gifts, a cake, and a stack of crystal plates. She picked up the empty box from Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper.

Bella seemed slightly confused, and when she opened it and saw that it really _was_ empty, she looked completely baffled. Jasper explained what it was, and Bella smiled, thanking Rosalie, Jasper and, much louder, Emmett. He laughed, and bounded through the door right when Alice handed Bella the next present.

Bella glared at Edward, reminding him of his promise to not spend money on her. Only when he renewed that promise, did Bella turn back to Alice. She stuck her finger under the edge of the wrapping, and that's when it hit me.

The smell of her blood, fresh, in the air choked my senses. I took shallower breaths, but then Jasper sprang forward, trying to get to Bella. Edward pushed her away from the coming attack, and with her went the crystal plates and cake.

Bella fell with a crash, and I clenched my fist and tightened my hold on Carlisle's hand, trying to contain the blood lust that impaled me like a thousand knives as the scent of Bella's blood flooded the air.

Emmett recovered himself first, and reached forward, gripping Jasper's shoulders with iron hard muscles. Still, Edward was visibly struggling not only to hold back Jasper, but to also control his own thirst.

"Emmett, Rose, get Jasper outside." Carlisle's voice held an authoritative air about it, which was the direct result of being an ER doctor for so long.

As Rosalie stepped forward—reluctantly, I could tell—I ran to the door and held it open. I covered my nose and mouth with one hand, in a vain attempt to repel the intoxicating smell. It was hardly working.

Once we were outside, Jasper ripped free from Emmett and Rosalie's grip and sprinted into the forest.

I turned to Emmett and Rosalie. Rosalie had turned to a window and was fixing something that was wrong with her hair. Emmett, though, had a worried look on his face that I was sure mirrored my own expression.

I anxiously paced around the yard, biting my lip. Mostly my thoughts were centered around Edward and how he would react to this. I already knew that it wouldn't be good, but I still didn't know whether he would try to do something rash.

I heard, shortly after we had exited the house, Edward and, eventually, Alice leave through the kitchen door. They were probably going after Jasper.

I waited a couple more minutes before I decided it was safe for me to go back in—that I had complete control over myself. I exchanged a glance with Emmett, and then reentered the house.

I made my way to the closet with cleaning supplies, and grabbed the container of bleach and a mop. I took a deep breath before going to the living room.

I carefully picked up the two presents—one partially unwrapped—and set them on top of Edward's piano after making sure they were clean of blood. I then gathered the scattered shards of crystal and, after I had set the table back upright, put them in a pile on the table.

I then poured a generous amount of bleach on the floor. Setting aside the container, I pushed the mop over the area where Bella's blood had stained the floor.

In the dining room I heard Carlisle talking with Bella, telling her the story of Edward's mother and his change. He told her that he still believed in God and heaven.

I only wished I could agree with him. I wanted nothing more than to believe as he did—to make him happy that I had hope as he did. But I couldn't convince myself of it. We were bound to this earth forever. In order for us to have that, we had to give up something, right? And since we couldn't die so easily, I figured that it meant that we were not going to go to heaven.

Didn't we have to forfeit something to get an eternal existence? That was the only way that I could explain it to myself.

I could hear Carlisle finishing up with Bella, so I hurried to get my own job done. Bella walked out into the living room, and I could see her scrunch her nose up just slightly—most likely at the smell of the bleach I was using.

She blushed. "Esme, let me do that," she said.

"I'm already done," I replied, looking to her arm. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine. Carlisle sews faster than any other doctor I've had." I laughed quietly, and Carlisle joined me.

Then Alice and Edward came in through the back door. Edward stayed back, though, while Alice took Bella upstairs for a change of shirt. I looked to Edward, but he kept silent and looked down at the floor with no expression. I heard Alice and Bella talking upstairs, but didn't listen to their quiet whispers. I kept my gaze locked on Edward's face. In my mind, I was screaming at him to look at me.

Then Alice and Bella came downstairs. Edward went to the door—still showing no emotion on his face—and held it open. Alice handed Bella her presents, and we all said a quiet goodbye.

Bella looked sullen, but I couldn't keep myself from looking at Edward every other second—Bella was doing the same.

They left, and as soon as the rumbling of Bella's truck vanished into the distance, Alice turned to Carlisle and I.

"I had a vision."

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**What did you think? Review, review, review!!! Tell me whether I am good or if I suck and should quit writing for the rest of my life.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Stephenie Meyer the Great does. If I did own them, though...just check out Edward's Date Night Extravaganza by Skipper Pompeii and you can know what I would be doing every day. :) I hope you liked it, and again, please Review!!! I will love you forever and ever!**

**Amoredward**


	8. Author's Note! Read Me!

Okay for everyone who's reading this. This is not a chapter update! I know! I'm so sorry. It's just that I have been having a _really_ hard time with Carlisle, and am stuck with not even a page written after all this time. He's giving me a hard time lately, and so I was pondering where I could take his chapter—I mean, I would end up writing out the whole stitches scene, because Carlisle is all through there. But since there's so much dialogue, it's hard to work around. So I have come up with two options.

Option one: I can try to complete what I'm working on right now—be warned, though. It won't be my best work ever. It could very well end up like crap—that's what it's looking like right now. And I couldn't tell you how long it would take me to finish. So that's option one.

Option two: I was thinking about what I'm trying to write, and started wondering about what it was like in the hospital when Carlisle saved Edward (since when I have to do something that's not working for me, I get a little imaginative). So I was turning over the idea of writing out Carlisle saving Edward instead of Carlisle's thoughts at the party. I would have to do a little research on this (about what it was like in the early 1900s—what with the medicine being different than what it is today and all) and then write it, but I am leaning towards doing this. For me, as a writer, it would be easier and more fun. As I write this, the idea is forming in my mind of things I could write.

So let me know in a review or PM which you would prefer to see. I'll decide when I read what people want to read, but I won't promise anything just yet.

Let me know!

Amoredward


	9. AN again! Sorry!

Okay, so sorry that this is another author's note, but I just thought that I would let you know that I'm going on vacation for ten days to a place where I won't have any internet access other than my phone. So I won't be able to write anything, because I will also be without a computer. (Gah!!! I know! I think I might die!)

So I didn't want to just disappear on my few readers without notice. I am really in a writing mood, though, so maybe I can get some stuff done so I have something ready to post when I get back.

Thank you to anyone who reads my story (yes, singular--I need to write more...). I love reading any reivews I get, and they mean more to me than you think! I love you all!

Until I get back...

Amoredward


	10. I'm baack!

Okay, I'm sorry. This is yet another AN. But I thought that I might let you know what's going on.

I am finally back from vacation (yay!) and so I have been writing almost non-stop since, because for ten days I had ideas constantly coming and going and I couldn't get to a computer to write anything! That is my worst nightmare!

I have decided that I will try to get the next chapter as Carlisle's POV at the party, but for now I have started another story. That one is about Carlisle changing Edward in 1918. It is called The Spanish Lady, and you can get to it through my profile or however you want to. I hope that you go read it, because I just had so much fun writing it!

Sorry that I haven't updated this story in so long, but I will try to get in writing the last installment of this series soon. Thanks again for reading and putting up with my three author's notes in a row.

You all are more awesome than words can describe! I love you all!

Amoredward


	11. Yes, an actual chapter

**Okay, you can read my apologies after the chapter. Here's Carlisle.**

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I wouldn't have thought that Alice could get more excited than she already was, but I was wrong. At the sound of Bella's truck making its way down our winding drive, she practically jumped through the roof. Jasper's hand around hers seemed to be the only thing keeping her grounded.

I knew that Esme was also excited—more than I had seen her in a long time. I knew how much it meant to her that Edward had finally found true love. She could hardly contain her excitement at getting to celebrate a birthday, but more than that, she was ecstatic to have the family back together.

We all missed Emmett and Rosalie when they had left, but I knew that if they had stayed, the tension between Rosalie and Edward and Bella would only have grown. I knew that Jasper had a difficult time being around people who felt animosity towards each other, but with Edward and Rosalie it was getting to be just too much.

The two car doors slamming jerked me out of my thoughts. Esme squeezed my hand, and I looked down at her. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on, and every day I thanked God that I had her in my life.

I heard Edward's laughter, and then the front door opened to reveal the awaited couple. We all cheered a chorus of "Happy Birthday Bella", and she blushed. It was something that we had all gotten used to.

When I looked at Edward's face, the difference since he met Bella seemed even more of a stark contrast. Instead of his expression always being somewhat apathetic and impassive around most people, it was now brighter, more cheerful. His eyes when he looked at Bella held love such as I had never before seen in them.

I knew Bella didn't notice these changes, but everyone else did. He wasn't so cynical anymore—less arrogant and more gregarious. After I had changed him—the first in our family—he was always distant and austere. Before I had blamed myself for his doldrums, but now…. Now it seemed that he had found his reason for living.

As soon as Edward closed the door, Esme and I walked forward to greet her personally. Esme gently kissed Bella's forehead, and I put my arm around her shoulders.

"Sorry about this, Bella. We couldn't rein Alice in," I said just loud enough so that not only Bella, but Alice also, could hear. Alice shot me a joking glare, but Bella was looking at Rosalie and Emmett in what appeared to be surprise.

Emmett said a joke about Bella not changing, and then, laughing, left to install Bella's new truck stereo.

Alice bounded forward to take Bella's hand and drag her to the table covered in cake, gifts, and masses of pink roses—thorns all removed, no doubt.

Esme and I had been hesitant in getting Bella our gift—two vouchers for plane tickets to Florida—but Alice had assured us Bella would love them, and Edward had promised to see them be used. And now they were wrapped in lustrous silver paper courtesy of Alice.

"Time to open presents!" The announcement came from Alice. Bella began to protest, but Alice wouldn't be deterred. She grabbed the box from Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper—which was empty inside—and handed it to her.

Bella's brow furrowed slightly at feeling the nonexistent weight, but tore off the paper nonetheless. The technical codes covering the cardboard seemed to confound her further, and she opened the box. Upon seeing it empty, Jasper laughed and explained what it was. Bella grinned and thanked the three of them—yelling out to Emmett, who was taking a longer time than expected. His booming laughter filled the house.

"Open mine and Edward's next," Alice requested, handing her the flat silver-encased object. Unconsciously, I found myself moving forward, along with Esme, Rosalie and Jasper, my curiosity piqued. Nobody knew what this was, and we were all eager to find out the secret.

Bella turned to Edward, attempting to scare him with a glare. It didn't seem to work, seeing as he laughed after assuring her that he indeed spent no money. Emmett shot through the door, almost knocking it off its hinges, just in time to see Bella accept the mysterious gift.

We were all leaning forward slightly as Bella slid her finger underneath the edge of the wrapping paper. A fraction of a second later, the heavy aroma of blood filled the air around us.

Before anyone could react, Jasper was flying through the air, aiming for Bella. Edward threw Bella back across the table, but it worsened matters. The crystal plates Alice had stacked carefully moments earlier, the cake and the remaining gift fell to the floor. Shards of crystal sliced the skin on Bella's forearm, and blood pulsed from the wound. Emmett grabbed Jasper from behind, restraining him as well as he could.

Edward protectively guarded Bella from Jasper's snapping teeth. Snarls erupted from both of them, and Jasper fought with all this strength against Emmett. I was temporarily not sure whether Emmett—with his iron muscles—or Jasper—covered in frightening battle scars—would win out over the other, and wasn't about to find out.

"Emmett, Rose, get Jasper outside," I ordered. Rosalie seemed hesitant, but still helped push Jasper back through the back door Esme held open. Esme's hand covered her mouth and nose, trying to weaken the burning smell, but I could see that it wasn't working.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," she cried as she followed the others out the door.

I turned back to Bella, moving to help, but Edward still blocked the way.

_Edward, _I thought to him, _let me by. I need to see her arm to prevent any further injury._

Slowly, he nodded, and then slid to the side to let me by. Alice offered me a towel to wipe off the blood, but it wouldn't do. There were too many shards embedded in Bella's arm, and I needed to remove them as quickly as I could.

"Bella, do you want me to drive you to the hospital, or would you like me to take care of it here?" I asked her. I had the tools with me, but didn't know if she wanted to be away from six ravenous vampires.

"Here, please," she responded.

Alice left to get my bag, and I turned to Edward. "Let's get her to the kitchen table," I stated needlessly. He knew what I wanted to do as soon as I did.

Still, he nodded and gently picked Bella up in his arms. I noticed the intense care he took when holding her, and it made me proud.

I heard Bella's heart rate pick up, and looked for any signs that her cut had deepened or the artery that was dangerously close to being severed had torn. But everything was still fine—it was only Edward that made her heart react. I barely shook my head.

Only Bella.

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**First I will give you all my deepest apologies for taking so long on this. I have been busier than I could have expected, and just haven't been able to find any time to relax, much less write something worth reading! So I hope that it was worth the wait. Please let me know how you liked it. I need feedback so that the next chapter will be better! Because there is a next chapter from Carlisle's POV on the way, and I have already started it!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned these characters, I wouldn't be writing this. I would be playing baseball with the Cullen men! (And women)**

**Review! (Again, I'm sorry for the delay!)**


	12. Carlisle 2

**Here's more, as promised. And believe it or not, there is yet another chapter! And even more surprising, I've already started! But just read, for the moment...**

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I asked her how she was doing. "Fine," she said simply in an unshaken voice. Her bravery surprised me. Any other human would be trying to get out of such a situation as quickly as possible, yet here she was. Comfortable as she could be with a bleeding arm.

Edward set Bella on the table next to my bag, which Alice had retrieved, and leaned over her. Bella sighed.

"Just go, Edward."

"I can handle it," he insisted.

_Edward, stop being stubborn_, I directed my thoughts at him.

"You don't need to be a hero," Bella insisted, not letting the issue go. "Carlisle can fix me up without your help. Get some fresh air."

By this time I had found my forceps and was carefully pulling out the jagged shards of crystal from Bella's arm. She winced, and Edward looked at me. I paused, reassuring him with my thoughts, and continued more carefully.

"I'll stay." This came from Edward.

"Why are you so masochistic?" Bella demanded. I could see that both of them were too stubborn to give any ground, so I interceded.

"Edward, you may as well go find Jasper before he gets too far. I'm sure he's upset with himself, and I doubt he'll listen to anyone but you right now." We could both, along with Alice, hear only Emmett, Rosalie and Esme just outside the house. Jasper had left the area as fast as he could, not wanting to come so close again.

Bella and Alice both agreed, and Edward became defensive. He knew that he couldn't win against the three of us, though, and left through the kitchen door without a word. It wasn't long after that Alice followed Edward. I knew that she was worried about Jasper as well as having a difficult time controlling herself.

Only Bella and I were left in the house, and everything around us was silent except for the soft plinking of the crystal shards being removed from her arm.

"Well, that's everyone. I can clear a room, at least," she soughed. I couldn't help but laugh.

"It's not your fault. It could happen to anyone."

"_Could_. But it usually just happens to me."

I laughed louder, but kept my hands steady. There was more damage to her arm than I had first thought. I tried to clear the wound of the sharp slivers, but they were simply everywhere.

"How can you do this?" she asked, true curiosity in her voice. "Even Alice and Esme…"

"Years and years of practice," I responded, remembering how it was at first. The uncontrollable thirst seemed so far away now. "I barely notice the scent anymore."

"Do you think it would be harder if you took a vacation from the hospital for a long time? And you weren't around any blood?"

"Maybe," I thought. The idea actually surprised me, because I hadn't ever considered not working. It wasn't something I ever thought I would do.

"I've never felt the need for an extended holiday. I enjoy my work too much," I explained.

"What is it that you enjoy?" I guessed that she was trying to distract herself from the blood, but also knew she actually did want to know.

"Hmm," I mused. "What I enjoy the most is when my…enhanced abilities let me save someone who would otherwise have been lost. It's pleasant knowing that, thanks to what I can do, some people's lives are better because I exist. Even the sense of smell is a useful diagnostic tool at times." I smiled to myself at how ironic that must sound to her.

She was silent, and I plucked from her arm the last shard. I combed through my bag, and easily found what I was looking for—stitching tools.

I saw her out of the corner of my eye look at the needle and thread, and heard her catch her breath.

"You try very hard to make up for something that was never your fault. What I mean is," she worked to assemble her thoughts, "it's not like you asked for this. You didn't choose this kind of life, and yet you have to work so _hard_ to be good."

"I don't know that I'm making up for anything," I gently dissented. "Like everything in life, I just had to decide what to do with what I was given." I wove the needle and thread across her arm, making sure to cover every part necessary.

"That makes it sound too easy," she rebuked.

"There," I said as I finished with the stitches. "All done." I clipped the excess thread off and dipped a cotton swab in the liquid I had also recovered from my bag. After I had generously coated the gash, I began to cover the wound with gauze and tape.

"In the beginning, though," she continued, "why did you even think to try a different way than the obvious one?"

"Hasn't Edward told you this story?" I asked, a smile pulling at the corners of my lips.

"Yes. But I'm trying to understand what you were thinking…" she trailed off.

I immediately sobered up, realizing that she was indirectly asking about herself—what she would think after she was changed. I knew that Edward would be furious if she knew any more than she already did—which was already more than he was happy with—but I decided that she should know.

I sighed, and began.

"You know my father was a clergyman. He had a rather harsh view of the world, which I was already beginning to question before the time that I changed." I had rubbed everything on the table with alcohol twice, and now gathered all the damp objects and crystal shards into a bowl. I lit a match, and the small collection was set ablaze. Bella jumped.

"Sorry," I said. "That ought to do it…." I refocused my thoughts on the distant memories of my human life. "So I didn't agree with my father's particular brand of faith. But never, in the nearly four hundred years now since I was born, have I ever seen anything that makes me doubt whether God exists in some form or the other. Not even the reflection in the mirror."

I could tell by her expression that she was surprised.

"I'm sure all this sounds a little bizarre coming from a vampire." I smiled, knowing how she held a natural aversion to the actual word. "But I'm hoping that there is still a point to this life, even for us." I sighed. "It's a long shot, I'll admit. By all accounts we're damned regardless. But I hope, maybe foolishly, that we'll get some measure of credit for trying."

"I don't think that's foolish," she responded. Her expression held what looked like awe.

"Actually, you're the very first one to agree with me."

"The rest of them don't feel the same?" she questioned. I knew that she was talking about Edward.

"Edward's with me up to a point. God and heaven exist…and so does hell. But he doesn't believe there is an afterlife for our kind. You see, he thinks we've lost our souls."

If there was one thing that I regretted, it was this. Through Edward's eyes, I had stolen his soul. Yet he still admired me. I had felt remorse every day when I saw the cool, distant look in his eyes—at least every day before he met Bella. And I knew that I held sole responsibility for that. It was something I had to live with now.

"That's the real problem, isn't it? That's why he's being so difficult about me." If there was one thing I knew about Bella, it was that she wasn't easily fooled. She would see through false pretenses in a second. She knew when someone was lying to her.

I slowly voiced my thoughts. "I look at my…_son_. His strength, his goodness, the brightness that shines out of him—and it only fuels that hope, that faith, more than ever. How could there not be more for one such as Edward?"

She nodded ardently. I continued.

"But if I believed as he does…If you believed as he did. Could you take away _his_ soul?"

She paused, her head drawing back infinitesimally.

"You see the problem."

She was still stubborn, though, and shook her head. "It's my choice."

"It's his, too," I responded, "whether he is responsible for doing that to you."

She surprised me by turning conceptive. "He's not the only one able to do it," she pondered. I laughed.

"Oh, no! You're going to have to work this out with _him_. That's the one part I can never be sure of," I sighed. "I _think_, in most other ways, that I've done the best I could with what I had to work with. But was it right to doom the others to this life? I can't decide…" I trailed off.

Bella's small frame shuddered next to me. I went on to explain.

"It was Edward's mother who made up my mind."

"His mother?" She sounded puzzled, and I realized that Edward likely wouldn't have told her about his human life—he could remember barely anything himself.

"Yes. Her name was Elizabeth Masen…"

* * *

**So how was it? Worth reading, I hope. Let me know in a review what you thought! And I may not get the next chapter up for a couple of days because I'm going to a Muse concert tonight (Yay!!!) and then I will be recovering the next couple days. I will work as fast as I can, though.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned these characters, I would have Elizabeth Masen's wedding ring, not Bella! Don't. Own. It.**


	13. Chapter 13

I wanted to let everyone know that I haven't given up on this story—there are just way too many things going on in my life right now to keep up with writing more than just a little each day. So there are two reasons to not worry:

1: I have already started the next chapter.

2: I will do chapters from Edward's point of view.

Also, I am going to skip over the part in Carlisle's thoughts where he talks about saving Edward (at least, most of it) If you want to read my take on that scenario, just read my story "The Spanish Lady" (link is in my profile)

Thank you so much for sticking with me and still reading! You're all amazing!

AE


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